Wednesday, May 11, 2011

From Russia with Sebastian

In response to my recent post about covers, a reader in Uzbekistan very kindly sent me files of my Russian covers. I'm supposed to get copies of all my foreign editions, but in practice I frequently don't, so this was my first glimpse of the images chosen by my Russian publishers. They are certainly very different. Here's What Angels Fear:

When Gods Die:

And Why Mermaids Sing.

Obviously, Russian art departments are as oblivious to historically correct dress as their American counterparts. I also find it interesting that they chose to put a woman on all three books, with no real sense of danger--despite the fact that the series is about a man and rather violent. Of the three, I think my favorite is the Angels cover. There is something quite intriguing about the way the woman is looking over her shoulder and faintly smiling--although I think I would be surprised if I picked up the book and read the cover copy (that is, if I could actually read the Russian cover copy, which of course I couldn't!)

Contrast this cover art with what the Australians did:

(Actually, these are early versions--I can't find the final version, in which Big Ben was Photoshopped out.)

Obviously, a very different approach and look.

The truth is, traditions in cover art vary enormously from one country to the next. Which is why smart authors don't complain about the covers of their foreign editions--because we don't know enough to make any kind of a valid judgement.

They actually stayed with me enough that I went back and looked at them again, trying to figure out what it was, exactly about them, that drew me to them. (Virgo brain, hard at work, analyzing things to death. *g*)

I think what I like about them is the use of the same faded background image with change in the pale, antiqued colors used to saturate them, coupled with the one iconic item in the foreground and the richness of the roses with the blood spatters/trails. It all combines into recognizable theme that conveys the history, the danger, and even the romance that the series is about. And they're neither overtly masculine nor feminine.

I think the only thing I would change is the title font, which I think is a bit too plain or at least, too flat and two-dimensional.

See? Analyzing things to death.

And I'm convinced that American marketing departments are so trapped in their New York offices, they have no clue what's going on in the real world. We're talking about the same folks who thought "Light My Fuego" was simply a FAB-ulous title for my first book. The one thing I fought like the dickens on even though I was scared out of my wits.

Barbara, "Light My Fuego"? Oh, if only you could have heard me roar with laughter. I'm still chuckling. Please tell me you won that battle? You could enter that in one of those Worst Title contests. I'm so sorry.

Oh yeah, I won. Adiós to My Old Life was the final title, because, again, in their infinite wisdom, Marketing strongly felt that the book needed a Spanish word in the title. I strongly felt that they were idiots, but if they were going to insist, then let's make it a WORD that the majority had a fighting chance of understanding.

In and of themselves, I actually like the Russian covers. However, I agree it would be a huge surprise to judge a book by its cover in this case since the main character is male! I suppose someone could argue it's Kat (at least with the first two, not the blonde). As Hero has become more prominent in the series, that the last two books have had a woman on the covers hasn't been quite as strange as it might have been in the beginning. As for the Australian covers, the one for "What Angels Fear" actually reminds me a little of the American version. Maybe it's just because of the white background and the flowers. I agree with Barbara though that the font could benefit from being less flat.

I also like the Australian covers, they are the type that catch my eye. The Russian covers are certainly interesting, although the woman on the cover of "When Gods Die" looks like she would be more at home in "Gone with the Wind" than a mystery.

I liked the Australian cover of Angels a lot. It really sets a mood. The Russian covers are actually very interesting and attractive to look at, but whoa! Talk about no relation to the story, and incredible liberties with history. Definitely makes me think more of romances as opposed to mystery.

The Russian "Angels" is intriguing, but I kind of like the "Mermaids" too... Perhpas the whole faceless-ness seems appealing. The "Gods" cover, well... perhaps reminiscent of "Anna Karenina"? (Reaching for a positive...)

The Russian ones remind me of old historicals I read as a teen - Desiree (Selinko) and Katherine (Seton). The Australian ones still indicate historical to me, but have more edge... which is what drew me, I think, to the Sebastian books.

About Me

A former university professor with an incurable case of wanderlust, I write the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series under the name of C.S. Harris and thrillers as one half of C.S. Graham. I’ve also written historical romances as Candice Proctor.